A RESPITE centre to help foster parents and children could be created in Hartlepool.

But council officers have warned that proposals to re-open the former Flint Walk Children's Home to house the centre could cause a backlash from neighbours.

The new three-bed placement support centre would provide respite care for young people aged between 11 and 17. The council has already identified a potential site for a new building but is also considering either leasing a property or re-opening the empty former children's home at 198 Flint Walk.

But council officers are anticipating that re-opening the children's home, which would need major renovation work, would lead to opposition in the neighbouring community.

Yesterday, a spokesman for Hartlepool Borough Council said: "In the building's previous use as a children's home, there was some friction between some of the young people housed there and some of the residents."

This view was reflected in a council report about the proposal which said: "It should be noted that re-opening Flint Walk, albeit for a new purpose, would require proactive awareness raising within the local community to reassure local residents that the difficulties experienced in the past will not be repeated."

Before the idea is developed, Hartlepool Borough Council must cut back on costs for its children's service, which is more than £500,000 over budget.

Councillor Cath Hill, cabinet member for children's services, explained that improving the foster care service would eventually cut costs to the tax-payer. Seventeen children are fostered outside the borough of Hartlepool and a shortage of foster carers has forced up costs.

Coun Hill, an Independent, said that there were more than 100 children under the authority's care.

She said: "We had a big push back in June for more foster carers which was a big success.

"We received as many inquiries in a month as we normally receive in a whole year.

"If we can keep some of these children in foster homes in Hartlepool, it will be better for them and would also save costs.

"The new centre would be vital in helping our foster carers and the children.

"We need to give them better support and it would also mean that the carers would stay with us longer."